Comparison

PilotPal vs Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PilotPal

This app provides FAA aviation airport charts and facility directories for easy flight planning. Access airport diagrams, frequencies, elevation, and helipad information offline. Stay updated with monthly chart revisions and quickly find nearby or favorite airports.

Highlights
  • Offline charts
  • Airport Facility Directories
  • Airport Diagrams
  • Airport Information (Maps, Frequencies, Elevation, Helipads)
  • Monthly updated FAA charts
  • Nearby and favorite airports
  • Airport search
Features
Read full description

PilotPal is the easiest way to flight plan. PilotPal brings the FAA airport facility directory and Airport Diagrams to your pocket. Features: • Offline Charts: Easily download airports or entire regions for offline use • Airport Facility Directories • Airport Diagrams • Weather via METAR and TAF • Wind maps • Airport Information including: • Maps • Frequencies • Elevation • Helipads • Updated FAA charts every month so you're always up to date. • Nearby airports: Easily find airports around you • Favorite airports: Save your favorites for quick access • Airport search: Easily find any airport or helipad • Dark mode • iPad support Built by real pilots with a love for aviation Feedback or issues: tinybyteapps@gmail.com Legal: Airport facility directories and airport diagrams are provided by the FAA. Always consult appropriate and available sources to prepare for your flight. Our privacy policy is available at: https://pilotpal-1139.firebaseapp.com/privacypolicy.htm Our terms of service is available at: https://pilotpal-1139.firebaseapp.com/termsofuse.html

About

Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)

Easily create ICAO-formatted flight plans with this app. Store aircraft details and link them to multiple plans. Generate PDF versions for authorities and utilize a beta map function for route planning and airport searches.

Highlights
  • Create ICAO flight plans
  • Store aircraft details
  • Link aircraft to flight plans
  • Generate PDF flight plans
  • Beta map function for route planning
  • Airport search
Features
Read full description

This application will facilitate the creation of flight plans in ICAO format, quick and easy. You can store the number of aircraft you want and link them with the various flight plans that you store in the application. With just a couple of clicks, you will have your flight plan in PDF format ready to be presented to the local aeronautical authority. You can use the included beta map function to search for airport, route planification, check altitude, speed, heading, and more. You can try this app for 14 days or create up to 10 different flight plans, then you must purchase a subscription to continue using it. Terms of Service: https://www.luarnol.com/fplmaker/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://www.luarnol.com/fplmaker/privacy.html Note: Map function must not be used for real flying, it will need internet to show maps, shown information may be wrong. It can be removed at any time.

Screenshots

PilotPal4 screens
Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) at 100% against PilotPal's 55%. Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). PilotPal's advantage is ratings volume (663 vs 5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PilotPal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PilotPal has 663 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of PilotPal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PilotPal versus Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPilotPalFlight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (663 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings663 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB325 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTinybyte Apps LLCLuarnol LLC

Customer experience

PilotPal

All ratings652 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive55.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative40.0%

Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

PilotPal

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Subscription verification loop - shows already subscribed but denies access
  • Airport diagrams not displaying despite active subscription
  • App stopped working after February update
  • General app functionality failures
  • Missing settings/preferences menu

Requested features

6 requests
  • Airport diagram printing functionality
  • Ability to sort favorites tab
  • Front and back page information inclusion
  • Improved search functionality for VOR locations
  • Legend/index documentation
Show 1 more
  • Comprehensive chart supplement data (VFR corridors, visual reporting points, VOR test locations)

Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

PilotPal

Subscriptions3
  • Airport Diagrams$0.991 Month
  • PilotPal Monthly3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • PilotPal Pro3 Days trial$19.991 Year
3 purchases

Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly subscription$0.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly subscription$2.991 Month
  • Annually subscription$9.991 Year

Questions

Is PilotPal free?
PilotPal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) free?
Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PilotPal or Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)?
Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) is rated higher. PilotPal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 663 ratings, while Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do PilotPal or Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) have ads?
Neither PilotPal nor Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PilotPal or Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker)?
PilotPal ships an update every 3 months, and Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) every 6 weeks. Most recently, PilotPal was updated on September 22, 2026 and Flight Plan Maker (FPL Maker) on September 3, 2026.

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